Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru - A Profile

Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian Anti-Colonial Nationalist, Secular Humanist, Social Democrat, and Author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20th century. 

Nehru was a principal leader of the Indian Nationalist Movement in the 1930s and 1940s. 

Upon India's Independence in 1947, he served as the country's Prime Minister for 16 years. Nehru promoted Parliamentary Democracy, Secularism, and Science and Technology during the 1950s, powerfully influencing India's arc as a modern nation.

Nehru was born on 14 Nov 1889 in Allahabad in British India. His father, Motilal Nehru (1861–1931), a self-made wealthy barrister who belonged to the Kashmiri Pandit community, served twice as President of the Indian National Congress, in 1919 and 1928. His mother, Swarup Rani Thussu (1868–1938), who came from a well-known Kashmiri Brahmin family settled in Lahore, was Motilal's second wife, his first having died in childbirth. 

Jawaharlal was the eldest of three children. The elder of his two sisters, Vijaya Lakshmi, later became the first female President of the United Nations General Assembly.

Nehru was educated in India and England. He studied law at Trinity College, Cambridge, and then at the Inner Temple in London. 

After returning to India in 1912, he joined the Indian National Congress and became one of its leading figures. He was imprisoned several times for his political activities. In 1929, he was elected president of the Congress.

In 1947, India gained independence from British rule. Nehru became the Country's first Prime Minister. He served in this position until his death in 1964. 

During his time as Prime Minister, Nehru oversaw the transformation of India from a Colony into a Modern Nation. He introduced a number of social and economic reforms, including land reform, education reform, and industrialization. He also played a leading role in the Non-Aligned Movement, a group of countries that sought to remain independent of the Cold War Blocs.

Nehru remains a towering figure in Indian history. He is widely regarded as one of the architects of modern India. His legacy remains as  one of the most important figures in India's history.

10 Major Milestones:-

1. 1889: Nehru was born in Allahabad, India, to Motilal Nehru, a prominent lawyer and nationalist leader, and Swaruprani Thussu.
2. 1912: Nehru traveled to England to study law at Cambridge University.
3. 1919: Nehru returned to India and joined the Indian National Congress (INC), a political party that was fighting for Indian independence from British rule.
4. 1929: Nehru was elected president of the INC. In this role, he helped to formulate the party's policies of non-violence and social reform.
5. 1932: Nehru negotiated the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, which granted some concessions to the INC.
6. 1942: Nehru was one of the leaders of the Quit India Movement, a call for the British to leave India. He was arrested and imprisoned for three years.
7. 1947: India gained independence from Britain. Nehru became the first prime minister of India.
8. 1950: Nehru helped to draft the Constitution of India, which established India as a Secular, Democratic Republic.
9. 1955: Nehru initiated the First Five-Year Plan for India's economic development. He initiated the building of a Modern Nation in countinuity with its ancient history. 
10. 1964: Nehru died in office. He is remains one of the most significant figures in Indian History.

(c) Rohit Singh Negi